Chapter Thirty-One: The Situation Continues

Today, I happened upon the first reward for this book, and my heart was stirred beyond measure. Here, I wish to express my gratitude to “Solitary Dream” for their generous support, and ask that they continue to stand behind this work. I also call upon all readers—writing as a newcomer is no easy task, so please lend your support: if you have tickets, vote; if you have money, consider tipping; if you have flowers, send them. Your encouragement is the driving force behind the author’s writing.

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In the conference room of the East China Military District Headquarters, ten men were gathered around a circular table, faces etched with anxiety as they awaited something. At the center sat an elderly man in uniform, bearing the epaulet of a three-star general. His gaze repeatedly flicked toward the door, so focused that he failed to notice the tea overflowing from his cup.

This old man was none other than General Liu Yandong, Commander-in-Chief of the East China Military District of the Republic, the eldest son of the Liu family from Shanghai, and the uncle of Liu Ningxiang. Though past sixty, his martial arts practice kept him youthful; his short, black hair was meticulously combed, and his face was sternly composed. Yet his eyes betrayed the tension within.

“Tap, tap, tap…” Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door. The newcomer paused at the threshold, breathing heavily, and announced in a crisp voice, “Reporting, Colonel Li Tongming here to deliver the briefing.”

With his arrival, everyone in the room turned to look, their attention focused intently on the man, making the middle-aged colonel somewhat uneasy. He quickly sought guidance from the central figure at the table, Liu Yandong.

Seeing Li Tongming’s questioning glance, Liu Yandong knew it was time to speak. “Li, have you determined the source of the explosion? We’re all among friends here; speak freely.”

“Yes, sir. Our investigation shows the explosion originated from the secret training base of the Wild Wolf Special Forces. The exact circumstances are still unclear,” Li Tongming reported truthfully to the assembly.

“Oh? It came from the Wild Wolf regiment?” The man seated to Liu Yandong’s lower left inquired in confusion. This was Lieutenant General Pang Penghui, Political Commissar of the East China Military District. He had a scholarly air, silvering hair, a tall figure, and the demeanor of a cultured officer.

“Yes, Commissar,” Li Tongming replied with conviction.

“Old Pang, has anything unusual happened at the Wild Wolf regiment lately?” Liu Yandong asked, equally perplexed.

Pang Penghui shook his head and sighed, “No, nothing out of the ordinary. Training proceeds as usual... Oh, wait—” He paused, suddenly struck by realization, and slapped the table.

The sudden gesture startled Yang Dakai, the deputy commander beside him, nearly making him jump up as well. Yang Dakai, disgruntled, grumbled, “Commissar, you nearly scared me to death with that. My heart trouble almost acted up from your outburst.”

Hearing Yang Dakai’s complaint, Pang Penghui realized his recklessness and hurriedly apologized, “Haha, sorry, Yang. That was careless of me—please accept my apology.”

“We’ve been colleagues for years, no need for apologies. But I am curious what could make someone as steady as you so surprised,” said Yang Dakai, a longtime friend. He wasn’t truly angry, merely intrigued by what had so unsettled Pang Penghui.

“Right, right. What did you suddenly remember?” The other generals in the room pressed with curiosity.

“It’s not a big deal. Just a couple of days ago, Sun Jianguo came to me for a special recruitment order at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He said among the university students here for military training, there was a martial arts expert—quite skilled, apparently. At first I didn’t give it much thought, but now it occurs to me he might be connected to the explosion,” Pang Penghui explained, sharing the thought that had just struck him.

“Oh, an expert? Did Sun Jianguo mention how skilled he was?” Hearing of a martial arts master, Liu Yandong’s eyes flashed sharp interest as he questioned Pang Penghui.

“Apparently, he defeated Xing Yong, one of the top three in the army’s grand competition, and did so with ease. That’s why Sun Jianguo took notice and wanted him as an instructor for his Wild Wolf regiment. Judging by his words, he wasn’t even confident he could beat the young man,” Pang Penghui continued.

“What’s this youth’s name, where is he from, and what’s his background?” Liu Yandong quickly inquired.

“His name is Liu Fan, eighteen years old, an orphan with no notable background. He’s a freshman at Fudan University. These details can be verified with the school,” Pang Penghui answered.

“Liu Fan? Why does that name sound so familiar, as if I’ve heard it somewhere before…” Liu Yandong fell into deep thought, mumbling to himself.

“Yandong, Yandong, are you alright?” Pang Penghui called several times, but Liu Yandong didn’t respond until Pang Penghui shook him gently.

“Oh, I’m fine. It’s just that the name Liu Fan rings a bell—I just can’t recall from where. Heh, perhaps age is catching up with me, my mind isn’t what it used to be,” Liu Yandong said, a hint of self-deprecation in his sigh.

“Old age brings its own troubles. Don’t lament, let’s have Sun Jianguo come in—he might know what’s going on,” Pang Penghui said, reflecting on the passage of time.

“Indeed! Pang’s suggestion is sound. Li, call Sun Jianguo here at once,” Liu Yandong commanded, swiftly returning to his usual decisive manner.

“Sir, I’ve already tried calling, but there was no answer. They may all be occupied with training,” Li Tongming explained.

“Then go find him and bring him here,” Liu Yandong said crisply.

“Yes, sir.” Li snapped to attention, saluted, then turned and departed.

Unaware of the events unfolding in the conference room, Liu Fan lay idly beneath a tree, legs crossed, dozing away to catch up on sleep lost the previous night. The weather was pleasant, and he fanned himself with a leaf, thoroughly enjoying his leisure.

Meanwhile, in the center of the training ground, a group of special forces soldiers sat cross-legged under the blazing sun, meditating. Sweat streamed down their faces and their uniforms were soaked through, as if they’d just emerged from water. Yet each wore a calm, composed expression, seemingly cut off from the outside world, sitting motionless.

After another two hours, smoke began to rise from the heads of several men, and a foul stench was carried by the wind toward Liu Fan, rousing him from his peaceful slumber and nearly suffocating him. It turned out many had broken through the first layer of their practice, expelling toxins from their bodies after the internal cleansing, hence the smell.

Soon, everyone emerged from meditation to discover their bodies brimming with boundless strength, excitement nearly making them leap up, heedless of their own pungent odor.

As they reveled in their newfound joy, Liu Fan’s voice cut through, “Alright, alright, what’s there to be so happy about? You’re still far from the mark.” Seeing they’d entered the basics, Liu Fan didn’t want them getting complacent, so he spoke to dampen their enthusiasm.

The group turned to him, seeing him clutching his nose with one hand and fanning himself with his cap in the other, puzzled. They didn’t feel the heat was especially oppressive—why was Instructor Liu fanning himself so vigorously? But the quirks of masters were always peculiar, they thought.

“Haha, my friend, your technique is formidable! After just a few hours of practice, my skill—stalled for years—has advanced a whole level. I’ve reached the upper tier of the Earth rank now; breaking through to the Sky rank is within reach!” Sun Jianguo, invigorated by his progress and grateful to Liu Fan, felt compelled to hug him in thanks.

Just as Sun Jianguo stepped forward, Liu Fan retreated, holding his nose and warning, “Stop! Don’t come any closer, brother. Don’t you notice the awful stench coming from your body?”

Hearing this, the others took notice, and upon inspection, found themselves coated in black grime and reeking terribly. If not for their experience as special forces, used to harsh conditions, they would have been overwhelmed by the odor.

“Go clean yourselves up!” Liu Fan urged, and without further ado, they all rushed off, leaving him alone in bewilderment.

“Hey, you’ve all gone—who’s going to drive me back to the dormitory?” Liu Fan suddenly realized, shouting after them, but no one paid him any heed.